Chapter 1343
The Turret Doesn't Need to Kill You
That's right, Fuyutsuki's current role is Shinji Ikari's guardian.
This wasn't a political arrangement, nor was it an order from Choi; it was purely Shinji's own suggestion. That day outside the infirmary, he saw Shinji Ikari sitting alone on a bench, hugging his knees, staring blankly at the ground like an abandoned little animal. Fuyutsuki walked over and sat down beside him. The two remained silent for half an hour, neither speaking. Finally, Fuyutsuki spoke, "Would you like to come stay at my place?" Shinji Ikari looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his red eyes, then nodded gently. It was that simple—no ceremony, no formalities, just two lonely people deciding to find warmth in each other.
The old man saw that Shinji Ikari liked him very much, so he decided to raise him like a child.
Although Fuyutsuki had never married or had children, he was surprisingly adept at taking care of Shinji Ikari. He would prepare breakfast in the morning, leave a light on at night, and sit quietly by Shinji's bedside when Shinji had nightmares, keeping him company until dawn. He watched the boy gradually open his heart, learn to laugh, learn to be affectionate, and learn to say a few more words at the dinner table, and a hardened part of his heart slowly softened. He no longer saw Shinji as Rokkakugigendo's son, no longer as the pilot of EVA, but simply as a child who needed to be cared for, a life worthy of being treated kindly.
And for some reason, he really felt that he got along very well with Shinji Ikari...
Perhaps it was Shinji's quiet nature, his gentleness, or perhaps it was because in this mad world, only when he was with Shinji could Fuyutsuki find a moment of peace. They didn't need to say much; they simply sat side by side on the sofa, one reading, the other organizing documents, the air filled with the aroma of miso soup, and outside the window, the perpetually gloomy sky of Tokyo-3. This tranquility made Fuyutsuki feel that he had finally stepped down from that cold chessboard, finally become a person of flesh and blood.
In the winter month, she turned off the lights, left her room, and headed towards home.
Someone was waiting for him there.
Choi Min-hyeong has indeed turned the entire NERV into his own people.
From the operations department to the intelligence section, from technology research and development to logistics management, every link was reorganized. Those former loyalists to Rokkakugi Gendo either wisely changed their stance or were transferred to peripheral positions. The entire headquarters operated more efficiently than before; orders were no longer passed around in layers, and execution was swift and decisive. The staff looked at Choi Myung with only awe and obedience, and no longer showed any lingering affection for the former commander.
The main thing was that it was modified...
This resulted in the NERV base being filled with turrets...
Hidden in the corners of corridors, within ceiling vents, in the gaps of elevator doors, and even behind decorative paintings in the lounges, are various automated defense weapons. Some are small laser emitters, others are high-speed electromagnetic cannons, and still others are rapid-fire weapons loaded with specially designed ammunition. They are cleverly embedded in the building structure, their surfaces covered with camouflage panels that blend seamlessly with the surrounding environment, making them almost indistinguishable to the naked eye. But if anyone trespasses into a restricted area without authorization or attempts to damage base facilities, these turrets will deploy within fractions of a second, lock onto the target, and unleash a barrage of fire.
Choi Myung-kook really loves artillery!
He stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of the command center, overlooking the night view of the entire Third New Tokyo City, a slight smile playing on his lips. He loved the feeling of incorporating violent aesthetics into everyday architecture, loved the contrast between a seemingly peaceful corridor and a death trap in the next second. The turrets represented absolute control, a deterrent that required no words, a promise that anyone who dared to provoke them would be instantly torn to shreds. This simple and brutal defensive philosophy was exactly like his own fighting style.
Since the assassin incident, Choi Myung has taken this opportunity to upgrade the defenses of the entire NERV!
Although the SEELE assassins who infiltrated through the ventilation ducts were eventually dealt with by Saeko Busujima, their successful entry into headquarters exposed a fatal flaw in the base's security system. Using this as a pretext, Choi Myung requested a huge special fund from the five liaison officers, ostensibly to repair the loopholes and strengthen security. In reality, he completely overhauled NERV, adding a firepower network strong enough to withstand an army's attack.
"Twelve automatic tracking turrets have been installed in Corridor A, providing coverage without blind spots."
"Non-lethal stun guns have been installed in the cafeteria and rest areas to prevent vandalism in these areas."
"The command room... no, it's the control room now. There are two heavy weapon platforms set up at the entrance. Anyone who approaches within ten meters without permission will be riddled with bullets." The technician's voice trembled as he reported the report to Cui Ming. They watched as the acting commander expressionlessly approved one weapon installation request after another, as if he were planning a garden rather than transforming a military base into a fortress.
The entire NERV headquarters now resembles a curled-up steel hedgehog, with sharp quills hidden beneath every inch of its skin. Employees undergo three identity verification checks every day to and from get off work, the density of surveillance cameras in the corridors is outrageous, and even the toilet stalls are equipped with miniature sensors. At first, everyone was a little unaccustomed to it, but thinking of the lingering fear from the last assassin incident and the sense of security brought by Choi Myung's personal presence, they gradually got used to it.
After all, in this world where apostles, monsters, and aliens take turns appearing, sleeping surrounded by cannons has become a rare luxury.
Cui Ming leaned back in his chair in the command room, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, his gaze sweeping over the green dots on the screen representing the status of the artillery emplacements. He nodded in satisfaction, picked up his thermos, and took a sip of tea.
“Very good,” he said in a calm and deep voice, “From now on, anyone who comes to visit should at least ask these forts if they agree.”
Cui Ming knew that these cannons and the like couldn't stop the powerful aliens.
He stood before the monitor screen, his gaze sweeping over the green dots representing the status of the various turrets, his expression as calm as if he were examining a row of toys. The automatic weapons hidden in the walls and ceiling were more than enough to deal with ordinary human intruders; a few volleys would riddle a fully armed assassin with bullets. But against monsters truly descended from the depths of space, against those alien life forms whose flesh traversed the void and could tear steel apart with a flick of their wrists, these turrets were no different from paper. A single shot might not even scratch their skin.
But it can still handle some human creatures.
Cui Ming turned around, walked to the sand table, and picked up a debriefing report on the last assassin invasion. The agents sent by SEELE, despite their professional training and superior equipment, couldn't even last three minutes under the crossfire of the automated turrets; they were pinned to the ground in the corridor. This was the value of these weapons—cleaning up the small fry, filtering out the insignificant, and leaving the troubles unworthy of his personal attention to the cold, hard machines.
Cui Ming doesn't need his own turrets to kill aliens.
He put down the report and looked up at the gloomy sky outside the window. Those truly dangerous beings—those monsters that emerge from dimensional rifts, descend from distant galaxies, or resurrect from the remains of apostles—can never be dealt with by a few automatic cannons. If an enemy of that caliber were to break in, the turrets would serve only one purpose.
All we need to do is stall until Cui Ming arrives.
Alarms sounded, and firepower poured in. Beams and shells exploded in the corridor, not to kill, but to buy time. Even if it was only thirty seconds, even if it was only ten seconds, as long as they could keep the intruder in place, as long as they could make it pause for a moment, as long as the commotion reached Cui Ming's ears, these turrets would have completed their most important mission.
Once Cui Ming arrives, well, sorry, the game turns into a hunting game.
Cui Ming is a hunter. (End of Chapter)